A Celebration for Making A Difference

A community-wide effort on Make a Difference Day 2010 earned Wheaton national recognition.

On Monday, the people who walked for charity, loaded a truck with food for the needy and performed other acts of volunteer spirit were recognized for their contributions that netted Wheaton a USA Weekend Magazine Make A Difference Day City Award.

"We're celebrating tonight what is really a big deal," Community Relations Commission Chairman Renee Webb said Monday. "It's a real celebration of neighbors helping neighbors."

Dozens of volunteers, as well as community and business supporters of the annual service day, gathered at City Hall to mingle and snack to mark the occasion.

During the City Council meeting, Mayor Michael Gresk read a proclamation of congratulations to the committee, the Wheaton Chamber of Commerce and residents for their "generous support and participation in Make a Difference Day."

USA Weekend Magazine will feature Wheaton and the other Make A Difference Day award winners in its April 10, 2011, issue, which is published in more than 700 newspapers nationwide.

Several events comprised Wheaton's efforts during October 2010 for Make a Difference Day, but everything culminated with the Stuff-a-Truck food drive. Webb said donations "piled so high they could barely move the truck."

In reality, the collected food helped feed 200 families through the People's Resource Center. For winning the middle-sized population category - municipalities with population between 50,000-100,000 - Wheaton also received $10,000, which the commission awarded to People's Resource Center.

As successful as the events were, Webb and Commission Member Laurie Swanson Oberhelman highlighted the efforts of the people involved. One in particular is Caroline Fischer, an 8th-grader at Monroe Middle School.

Fischer and the student council visited Wynscape Rehabilitation Center as part of Make a Difference Day. The students played games, handed out treat bags and visited with residents.

"My number one goal is to help people," Fischer, who turns 14 this week, said. "Being a kid, it's a great way to learn new things."

Webb called it "serendipity" that Wheaton was selected for the award in 2010. A year earlier, the commission put together a job-assistance event considered a "slam dunk" given the recession and far-reaching economic struggles. However, it was met with low turnout.

Oberhelman said judges considered the number of years a community participates in Make a Difference Day - Wheaton done it the last 10 years - and the number of participants involved. Ultimately, the food drive proved to be the clincher as the city's "signature event."